DeHaven departs SPX, former Panther grad taking over

Erik DeHaven, shown here during a 2014 contest, has departed St. Pius X to become the head coach at The John Cooper School in The Woodlands. Contributed photo

St. Pius X is once again undergoing a transition in the coaching ranks.

According to a release from The John Cooper School in The Woodlands and confirmed by a St. Pius X spokesperson, former SPX head coach Erik DeHaven has left the school to take over the Dragons’ program in the same capacity.

“I am extremely excited and honored to be joining the Dragon family. The opportunity to build upon a quality program at an elite institution has always been a dream of mine,” DeHaven said in the release.

DeHaven departs after one season at the helm for the Panthers, a job he took over from former head coach Stephen Hill last year after serving at St. Pius X’s defensive coordinator from 2014-2017. He was previously an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Lutheran South Academy from 2011-14.

He is also a previous two-time District 4A Coach of the Year at Lutheran High North, where he took a program with losing records his first two seasons to four straight winning seasons, including 9-3 and 10-2 records. During his tenure from 2005-11, the Lions won the school’s first district championship and ranked in the state top 10 for four consecutive seasons.

“Coach DeHaven guided our young men to great success both on the field and in life during the 2018 season. His gentle spirit, faith-filled presence, football knowledge, and enthusiasm for his students will be missed,” St. Pius X High School Head of School Carmen Garrett Armistead said.

Panther alum returning to West Donovan
To fill the vacancy left in wake of DeHaven’s departure, SPX has brought back 2008 graduate Billy Noonan, who served as the head coach for Tomball High School for the past two seasons.

Noonan is no stranger to Panther football. During his time at St. Pius X, Noonan lead the Panthers to back-to-back championship wins in ‘06 and ‘07.

He was also part of the Tomball coaching staff who turned a 2-8 record into a 7-3 record in just one season. Under Noonan’s direction, Tomball’s quarterback set both season and career passing yard records in just 21 games.

“We’re so excited to welcome Billy back to St. Pius X High School,” St. Pius X Athletic Director Jimmy Kimball said. “Coach Noonan’s playing career is legendary here at SPX, but the growth of his coaching career is what makes him a great fit to lead our program. I am excited to see the new energy and vision he brings to the Panthers.”